Here we go again. Italy is calling on Malta to reduce the size of our Search and Rescue Zone, saying that we are not capable of ‘policing’ it.
Well, let us start here. First and foremost, this newspaper joins the government and backs it foursquare on the issue of not giving up any portion of it as the Italian government and media seems to be pressing for. It is also good to note that the opposition has also expressed its support of the government’s stance.
The latest development in the immigration issue was yesterday’s debate between Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini and Maltese Interior Minister Carm Mifsud Bonnici.
Ironically, after all the tongue wagging, sabre rattling and finger pointing over the past week in relation to the disappearance of immigrants at sea, both ministers ended the debate in a relatively amiable manner, saying that Europe needed to shoulder more responsibility.
The death of people at sea is always a tragedy and perhaps, truth be told, both Malta and Italy were lulled into a false sense of security this summer. In fact, both were caught napping, as was everyone else.
The number of migrants who have risked the crossing over from Libya this year has dropped drastically compared to previous summers. This is due to a combination of more effort from Libya in policing its coastal borders, as well as the increased patrols by European nations in the Mediterranean.
We hardly heard of any arrivals at all, and when we did, it was a surprise. When, of course, the news began to emerge that a large number of people had died at sea - the panic button was pressed.
Rather than both Malta and Italy joining forces to castigate the rest of Europe for continuing to ignore this problem that both our nations face for months on end every year, we reacted emotionally rather than rationally.
Both being of a Mediterranean temperament, the Maltese and the Italians blamed each other, rather than blaming the sleepers.
Malta was in the past chastised for bringing immigrants to our shores when they wanted to continue on with their journey. We were also told that we had acted illegally in doing so and that we had no right to stop anyone’s passage. Yet now, we are being told that we are doing the wrong thing in checking up on them and giving them provisions with which to carry on their journey. This is not a game of monopoly where one can chose to make up the rules on a whim. It is not a game at all.
People’s lives are at stake and yes, Malta’s infrastructure is also at stake. We cannot keep moving the goalposts. We need a clearly established framework in which we (yes, both Italy and Malta) can work within. We also steadfastly believe that Malta and Italy’s blustering at each other is doing more harm that good. We are the fools that have to deal with this problem while everyone else sits and watches on. We also go out on a limb and say that taking 10 migrants here and there is pitiful and shameful from the rest of Europe. The US has done more than our so-called family of solidarity.
To conclude, we heartily praise Dr Mifsud Bonnici for sticking to his guns yesterday but we beg to differ on one point alone. Malta is not well equipped enough to deal with this problem. We need more equipment and the amount of funding we receive from Europe is simply not adequate. Azzjoni Nazzjonali is right in saying that we need to bolster our defensive (in a wide sense) capabilities. The SAR zone is not too large. What is too large is the number of people who seek passage through it.